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ELECTION 

TO / 

LIFE ETERNAL; 

A 

OF 
l 
INESTIMABLE WORTH, 

WHICH 

EVERY ONE, BY SEASONABLE AND 

PROPER ATTENTION, MAY 

MAKE HIS OfVN 



By Samuel Baker* 



REPUBLISHED FOR ERASTUS SPAULDING. 



, 



«*& 



MILLBURY, MASS. 
PRINTED BY BENJAMIN T» ALBRO. Qfp ^ 

1833 4 



■ I » 









TO THE HEAD 



.::cTiON ? as it has generally been [) 
has been, perhaps, the greatest hindrance to peo- 
ple's seeking the Lord at all, or seeking him aright, 
or seeking him with suitable zeal, or most of all, 
to their seeking h'm with perseverance, of any 
rvcr advanced : • the world among Pagans, 
iSj or Christians. 
The following poem shows that it is in truth a 
real encouragement to every one to seek the Lord. 
The author has observed that the doctrine in 
general has either been so explained as to put all 
God's holy attributes on the rack, and perfectly 
stupify common sense; or else flung- away and trod- 
den down as most productive error, without having 
ir explanation. He therefore conceived a de-. 



PREFACE. 

sign of remedying this evil, by giving it a fair illus- 
tration. He has found that this method has been 
of essential use to numbers. 

The reader is requested not to read this at all 
unless he determines to read it so as to take the 
sense, and then not reject light knowingly. 

The blessed Spirit will be near you while you 
read, and will give you instruction if you ask him. 






ELECTION, &C. 



FIRST PART. 

ELECTION, precious word, if understood, 
And great encouragement to seek the Lord; 
But when mistaken, then, it always tends 
To sinful negligence and woful ends. 

'Tis said by some, Election means to take 
Some wicked men, subjects of grace to make; 
And others leave to suffer justice's part, 
Without sufficient grace to change their heart. 
This is Election wrongly understood, 
And has a tendency to \eadfrom God. 
Others suppose, Election, rendered plain, 
Is the peculiar mark of holy men; 
So all who are by faith to Jesus wed, 
Are his elect, as members in their head: 
This is Election evidently pure, 
Which any one, by striving, may secure. 

All who obey the precious Gospel call, 
And learn of Him who gave his life for all, 
Are by his blood most precious purified, 
And chose as suitable to be his Bride. 
Hence, as I said, Election, when defined. 
Gives great encouragement to every mind. 

And if a Prince should issue a decree, 
That all whose robes are white his face should see, 
And see his glory, and enjoy his rest, 
And at his table be a welcome guest; 
\nd that his servants in obedience might 
Wash their polluted robes and make them white; 
And so Elected be; this Prince of grace 
Provides for every one in every place, 
A cleansing fountain, sure to make them white, 
The moment they shall bathe in it aright. 
He also sends his heralds night and day, 
To teach them how to wash their filth away; 
And how to know they are his chosen race 
According to his purpose" of grace. 



Now all who do his gracious word believe* 
Obey, and wash, — they in hi* favor live: 
They his Elect, he marks them for his own. 
And always in his wisdom were foreknow n. 

Christ is this prince, the fountain is his blood; 
The heralds are the ministers of God; 
And those he calls to roinennd wash them c 
Are all the wretched race of fallen men; 
And those who come and wash them cl< 
Become his chosen objects of delight; 
i?isown Elect, and precious ;t: hi 
By him foreknown before he built the skies. 

This fountain is to all dehTd with sin, 
What Jordan was lo Naaman's leprous 
Then view the method Clod with him pursu'd, 
% And learn the way the soul must be renew'd. 

Xaaman, on hearing, comes with all his gri 
Elisha tells him how to find relief: 
Go now to Jordan, did the prophet say, 
And in it wash thy foul disease away; 
Go dip seven times to prove thy faith sincere. 
Arid from thy leprosy thou shall be clear. 

- humble method, like the gospel call. 
So full of works, yet void of merit all; 
Did much disgust the haughty Syrian prince, 
I mil his servant did his mind convince. 
Some mighty deeds, methinks, his servant cries; 
Would doubtless, have been pleasing in thine e; 

ch rather, then submit to duties meat), 
And bathe thyself in Jordan and be clean. 
This humble method wisdom takes as lit 
To stain thy pride, and make thy will submit; 
i J -nt yet 'tis not thy works nor Jordan's flood 
Can cleanse thee, but the hand of Jacob's God. 

sovereign hand of mercy will be kind, 
To all who exercjse a willing mind. 

such as obstinate remain must lie 
Void of all help, and in disorder die. 

The word received now bows his stubborn heart. 
And precious faith performs her cogent part; 
The leper turns, and shifts his course to ride. 
With all his pompons train to Jordan's side; 
And there he humbly bathes his sickly frame. 
"Till like a child's, his Mesh and skin became. 
\ striking type of all the sanctified, 
Who wash'd in Jesus.'.* blood, become his bride, 



All who, like Naaman, wash tliein clean and fair, 

'i'o live and reign with Jesus, chos6n are. 

This is Election rendered plain and true, 

And gives to God and man their proper due; 

'To God for cleansing grace the glory i-'. 

To man the due obedience and the b'is*. 

Let none imagine, then, himself Elect, 

Until to godliness he has respect; 

When Christ by humble faith is formed within, 

In holy triumph over every sin; 

Then is the man by Christ a chosen guest. 

And may with safety hope for endless rest. 

Xing David had the same consistent view, 
And speaks impressive what he clearly knew: . 
" But know," says he, (nor doubt it in your bearl ;) 
" God sets the godlv for himself apait.''* 
Not the ungodly his elect can be, 
But such as do by faith the promise see. 

Paul, too, declares of ev'ry chosen one, 
Elect in Christ before the world begun. 
Not out of Christ, a vile and filthy race. 
But in him, that is, made anew by grace; 
To be in Christ, is to become divine; 
Hence Paul and David both in one combine. 
One views the choseu hist to sinning dead, 
The other views them first in Christ their head; 
And both agree that all the chosen line, 
Were branches, first, of Christ the living vine; 
Foreknown and choso before the world began; 
As Christ is said to have been slaughter'd then.f 

Moses and Malachi unite to teach, 
What Paul and David us'dto talk and preach: 
Obey, says Moses, what I now record, 
And you shall be the treasure, of the Lord. 
And Malachi would teach the Jews to fear 
Their Cod, and so his precious ones appear-!* 



CHAPTER II. 

This theme with Paul we further may pursue, 
And other striking colors bring to view. * 

Who .11 God predestinated were foreknown, 

*PsaJm iv. 3. Eph. i. 4. The word here translated chose;*, 

is also elect, both having the same meaning. 
t Kev. xiii, 3, tSee Ex. xix. 5, &c. and Malachi, iii. 16 17, 



8 



Conformed to the image of his Son ;* 
Foteknown as true believers of his word, 
Predestinated, fav'rites of the Lord. 
Call'd as his sheep to share his special love; 
At last to reign with him in bliss above. 
Now see foreknowledge and decree of God, 
And how the vile are cleans'd in Jesus's blood; 
How both unite to save by grace, but still, 
Both exercise and then reward free-will. 
The blood is spilt, the fountain open'd free, 
And calls and warnings given by decree; 
Then comes foreknowledge to discover who 
Will bathe in blood and thus be made anew. 
Such in foreknowledge, therefore, chosen were 
Before the day-spring did the morn prepare. 

Peter the great, and son of thundci' nam'd, 
For energy and pathos equal fam'd; 
When he attempts to teach electing grace, 
How modest and how guarded what he says. 
Elect,! saith he, as God the Father knew, 
Foreknowledge, not decree according to; 
Elect in% sanctity and humble faith, 
Like to what Paul to the Ephesians saith; 
Now learn how saints of old in one unite, 
And prove the doctrine here convey'd is right. 
St. Peter says Elect in holiness; 
St. Paul in Christ Election does express, 
St David says the righteous are elect; 
St. Moses to the obedient has respect; 
So Malachi and all the holy men, 
Who ever wrote with an inspired pen, 
Have left the same engraven as in gold, 
To guide the wand'ring to their proper fold, 
That mortals may be taught in doctrine pure, 
1 Y> make their calling and election sure. 



CHAPTER III. 

Once more, my friend, most humbly I entreat 
That you would further walk this golden street, 

♦The reader may see that the words to be, in this verse, Ro- 
mans viii. 29, are not in the original, by their being in italics. 

list Peter, i. 2. 

%The preposition translated, through, in this text, is the 
fame in the original, as that which is translated in, before 
;;uoted in F.ph, i. 4. It generally means in, but it aleo means 
with, by, through, on account of, &c. 



And with one witness more be guided right* 
Unless you obstinately shun the light. 

The dealings of the Lord with Ab ram's seed 
Will teach us bow we should the Bible read 
Upon this point; contested and sublime; 
Of singular importance here in time. 
The seed of Abrarn were a chosen race, 
And special treasure of the God of grace; 
Though not the whole of his or Isaac's sons, 
But all of Jacob's were the chosen ones; 
This Jacob strove in faith and overcame, 
And so obtained the new expressive name; 
So now to conqueriug faith God has respect. 
And such he numbers with his own elect. 

Moreover, circumcised were the Jews; 
But such as that condition did refuse, 
Must not be numbered with the chosen hand, 
Nor share the blessings of the promised land. 
The circumcision in this gospel day, 
Are all that in the Spirit sing and pray. 
As saithSt. Paul. The circumcision we 
Who worship God in spirit; hence we see 
The circumcised in heart, and these alone, 
Are now as God's own chosen people known 

For further argument from Jewish line, 
See all the branches cent'ring in the vine; 
See how in Isaac all the setd are found, 
And to him all the promises abound. 
Christ is our Isaac; and in him we see 
Member Elect as branches in a tree; 
Not in him in a sense we know not ivhat, 
Nor as dead branches that begin to rot ; 
But living members of a living root, 
To grow and thrive and bear the precious fruit, 
I know some view the Elect in Christ by choice 
Before they even hear the Saviour's voice. 
If thus you hold, say what can you intend 
By this so strange, unscript'ral phrase, my friend? 
O can you seriously believe and say, 
That one's in Christ that's in the downward way? 
A child of Satan and an heir of hell, 
But yet in Christ and ever there to dwell! 
Whom Jesus chooses ire his lovely ones, 
Selected from the world, and call'd his sons; 
But can a wretched sinner, stained with blood, 
Be such a fav'rite of oar Saviour God? 
If any one's in Christ, the scriptures gar 



JO 



IIe , p made anew — old things arc passed away,"" 
But in this way, a man in sinning dead, 
•May, notwithstanding, he in Christ his head. 
They who arc Christ's }ou know, the truth declares 
Have crucified the flesh and shun'd its sn-ves;'! 
r i hat your strange doctrine takes so wide a r,;: 
Tha\ one may be in Christ without a chan 
One may, yoatbiuk, to Jesus Christ belong, 
But yet helong to Satan and his throng/ 
May he in Christ the Holy One, hut still 
Be in the devil, and obey his will! 
Hail, Babylon! thou great mysterious whore! 
Wilt thou deceive the people more and mo. A 
And mingle poison in thy golden cup 
So artful, tint the whole is drunken op? 
Header, beware! if thou regard thy *oul, 
Nor taste the wine that sparkles in the howl. 
The pleasant taste but hides thedeep distress; 
But, O the end! What dreadful bitterness/ 

Perhaps you say, my friend, that I mistake 
Your meaning, und the ground you mean to take: 
Voa mean, perhaps, not that the sinners are 
Klect in Christ, but chosen to be there: 
V<>< 'Is of rnercy I suppose you mean, 
Before they have the need of mercy seen, 
Distinct from others left as reprobate, 
Without provision for a better slate. 
But says the word in Christ and holiness^ 
They chosen are, who e'er arrive at bliss: 
Nol chosen out of him and in their sin, 
With a design at last to bring them in. 

les, the scriptures state the matter thus: 
.'/// unbelievers lie mider the curse; 
INot one elect, but all, in every state, 
If Christ be not in them, are reprobate, S 
Pt. Paul was so persuaded in this way, 
That to believers he did plainly say, 
Although elect they had become and clean, 
"Ifou o;:ce were heirs of wrath like other men."!! 
i low vain the notion, then, and false the thought 
Thai those in whom the work of grace is wrought, 
Were always favor'd di T erent from the rest, 
And heirs of glory ere they grace pi 

if some be chose among the wicked ones, 
b 5 reuew'd and to adopt as sons; 

*2 Cor. v. 17. fGnl. v. 24. 

JEjuVi. 4. § John iii. 18, 5 



1! 



I*ut others left to sink) to worlds i i 

Then Christ is partial any cliild may know. 

But Christ was never parlial in this sense: 

Not in creation, gracq, or providence, 

Of but one bland wasfornrd every man,* 

Hence God was equal in Creation's plan; 

On all he sends his precious heat and dew: 

So in his Providence he's equal too: 

The saving word to all he does direct ; 

Thus in his grace there still is no respect 

If some have less of heat and falling showers. 

And others form'd with less immortal powers; 

If some have not the gospel shine so bright, 

But only have the aid of nature's light; 

Yet God, through Christ, will evVv mortal save, 

Who well improves, what he in mercy gave; 

Nor does he ask of any mortal worm 

A little more than what he can perform; 

The blessed Saviour never will be known 

To come to reap where he has never sown: 

He but requires of all the human race, 

The proper use of their own means of grace, 

Then faithful souls, at last, he'll raise to life, 

But doom the rebels to eternal strife. 

Were there no grace for part of Adam's line, 
If on a part no rays of mercy shine, 
r I he wretch without a wedding garment might 
Assure us why he came in such a plight; 
lie might reply, instead of speechless* guilt, 
•' For my poor soul no ransom blood was spilt; 
" The law no marriage supper could provide. 
" And for my life the Saviour never died; 
"No wedding garment could for me be found, 
" In which to wrap my naked soul around, 
*« This is the cause I came so naked here; 
" No other way thy servant could appear." 
Hut facts are stubborn things — the sinner sees 
Himself deprived of arguments like these: 
This strikes him dumb, that under foot he's trod, 
The bleeding mercy of the Son of God; 
His birthright for 3 mess of pottage sold, 
And bartered Jesus for a little gold. 



VI 

SECOND PART. 

CHAPTER I. 

L^etst the pure mind, well taught, and render'd clear 
Should feel a lacA; through what's omitted here: 
Another view of God's Electing grace, 
Ileveal'd in scripture, here I'll give a place. 
This is Election founded on Decree, 
Not on Fore&nowledge, which we all may see. 
But this to difPrent grades of things relates, 
To dispensations and to various states 
Of men in life, their talents and employ, 
Their privileges and degrees of joy. 

In this Electing plan the Sov'reign made 
Angels of light, and men of lower grade. 
Some made with talents five, and two and one, 
As was his holy pleasure should be done. 
Some were predestin'd to dim nature's light, 
Others to Jewish blessings far more bright. 
For us on whom Time's latest period's lay 
Was fore-ordained the blessed gospel day, 
God, as a Sov'reign, in these difPrent ways, 
Varies creating and disposing grace. 
This his prerogative o'er all to reign, 
Nor should a creature question or complain. 
No man should wish to ask a reason why 
He's not an angel flying through the sky; 
Nor should the man that's form'd of high degree 
Boast o'er the low who can't his summit see. 
The simple reason is, as Paul would show, 
Because the Sov'reign Judge has made us so.* 
But gentle reader, do remember this, 
Lest you the humble path of truth should misa; 
Where much is given, more will God demand, 
When all before the impartial Judge shall stand: 
So equal all the ways of God appear, 
A truth to all the pious very dear, 
No reprobation herein is contain'd, 
Of unborn millions to eternal pain; 
But wise displays of infinite design; 
In all of which both power and love combine, 
To some in greater, others less degrees, 
Some honour'd, others not ( as God has pleas'd; 
That each may move in his own proper sphere, 
And happy be, if he his Maker fear, 
But if he will rebel and sink to wo, 
'Twas not because the sov'reign will'd it so. 

*1 Cor. iv. 6, v. 



13 



Those sov'reign acts of God's Electing plan 
Of grace distinguishing his gifts to man, 
May further be discern'd by scripture light, 
If pure, and single, be our gift of sight. 

Abram, the father of the faithful few, 
Peculiar blessings was Elected to; 
Was made progenitor of people great, 
Where God himself should dwell and rule iu state. 
No one but him was called to this bliss; 
All others reprobated were from this. 
But did the mighty Lord'of all below, 
No favor small to anv other shew? 
Why the n do children in the Bible read, 
That people all were blest in Abram's seed? 
Was Lot the righteous hated with the rest, 
And fam'd Melchizedeck who Abram blest? 
These, too, were reprobate from Abram's line, 
Not. to be branches of the Jewish vine. 

In viewing nearer these mysterious wheels, 
Where God in wisdom wondrous grace conceals; 
Behold how Ishmael sov'reign grace rejects, 
And Isaac, though the younger one , Elects. 
No part can Ishmael have with Sarah's son, 
But wander wild as a dishonored one. 
But did the Lord no pity on him take? 
Did he this Hagar's son for ruin make? 
Look at the word — Says God I've heard his prayer. 
And also will for him a seed prepare. 
The God of Abram did this Ishmael bless. 
And heard his supplication in distress, 
Was with him, and his favour did engage, 
Look at the scriptures quoted in this page.* 

If God will be with me and deign to bless, 
And hear my poor petition in distress, 
I can rejoice, nor should I greatly fear, 
Such kind of Non-Election as is here. 

This "glorious" chariot of divine display, 
Moves on and shews another brilliant ray; 
In which we see beloved Jacob s/iine, 
A chosen Father of th' Elected line; 
While hated Esau gtovels in the shade, 
Both in the place for which they first were made. 
Hated was Esau, that is, loved less, 
As may this word in purest Greek express; 
•So hate our friends we must, that is, must love 
Them less than what we do the God above, 
*Gen xvii. 20.xxi. 13—17, 20. 



14 



Esau was loved leas and reprobate, 

As to the blessing of the Jewish state; 

Hut was no more depriv'd of saving grace, • 

Than all the world beside the Jewish race. 

Were any mortal ere he saw the light, 

Doom,d to perdition by resistless might; 

This wretched Esau doubtless must be one; 

Rejected, hated, and disfigured son. 

But even he was blest with Abranrs seed, 

»S't. Paul in hebrews teaches us to read;t 

As truly blest, though in a less degree, 

As Jacob was, which all may read and see.J . 

Before we see from distant sight retire, 
This cloud-capt chariot mixt with burning fire; 
And awful wheel of light before unknown, 
Turns all the Jews from Abram' graceful throue; 
A few excepted who believe his word, 
Who yet remain the people of the Lord. 
The Hebrews now must take the lowest seat, 
And be dishonour'd at the Gentile's feet; 
The purpose ends for which they were Elect; 
God, now, to heathen nations has respect. 
But are the Jews bound o'er to long despair, 
And no more subjects of our fervent prayer? 
Ppeakj zealous Paul, whom pious men revere, 
And tell us how these things to thee appear. 
Paul answer thus, My heart's desire and prayer 
Is that my brethren may for life prepare, 
For though they're castaway from honors great, 
This don't include their everlasting state; 
If stubborn in theii sins they don't remain, 
They shall be grafted into life again ; 
While the new Covenant Elected ones, 
If they do boast, must fall like Abram 's sons, 
flee Romans 'leventh, twentieth^ twenty-fonr, 
And chapters nine and ten which go before. 
Which chapters read — O read with cautious eye, 
Lwt you should wrest the precious word and die. 



CHAPTER II. 

Mt Chiistian friend has long desired to find 
A seheme well ordered in Jehovah's mind, 
Yet man pasess his freedom, to prepare 
By grace for life, or make his own despair. 
And here it may be seen. No giddy chacea 
Aocow Cod's purposes can rudely dance; 

* Heb. xi. 20, t Gen. xxrii. 35, 4t. 



15 



No thing occur but what the Almighty's eye, 
From all eternity did clearjy spy; 
And wisely in his great decree direct 
For its occurrence and for its effect. 
So God foresaw that Adam would rebel, 
And did provide the Saviour ere he fell. 
lie also knew who would his grace receive, 
And fixed their mansions ere they did believe. 
Bjtas the actions of the creature man, 
Were but foreknown in the eternal plan; 
He's clearly left to choose or to refuse; 
Salvation to embrace or to abuse. 

Decree and knowledge are no more akin, 
Than God's own act and what he knows of sin. 
What God decrees he will himself pursue, 
But what he knoxvs another one may do. 
Yea, his decrees are his own act and deed; 
So he decreed his darling son should bleed; 
But how he was betrayed and crucified, 
Was as his knowledge had before espied. 
In God's decree the Son must spill his blood, 
And in the garden fiow'd the purple flood ; 
To show that grace without a wicked hand, 
Could work salvation for a sinking land. 
Yet 'twas decreed that ferns vlnist should die, 
And in the tomb till the thud morning lie, 
For wm the Father knew from ancient day, 
The Jews and Romans would his darling slay. 

Decree and knowledge have their sep'rate part 
In the deep sufferings of the Saviour's heart. 
God knew the wicked would his Son devour, 
And hence expos'd him to their cruel power. 
For Christ mttst bleed and die. This was the plan 
Devised of old to save the rebel man. 
Peter explains this truth in manly skill. 
By God's for eknowledge and determined will 
Christ was delivered — but with wicked strife, 
The Jews conspired to take his harmless life.* 
Not by decree alone, but knowledge too. 
One fix'd his death, one saw who would it do. 
Decree the dreadful sufferings did ordain, 
Foreknowledge saw who would inflict the pain. 
Again. The Saviour knew, the scriptures say, 
Not that he ordered who should him betray, f 

Now, Judas, were thy treacherous deeds decreed 
As much as that thy Lord and friend should bleed. 
O Judas! here thy test of virtue lies: 
U "Jwas decreed, thou"rt honored from the skies, 
*Acts ii. 23. f John vi. 64. 



16 

For though thy motive very vile must be, 

Yet this was also found in the decree; 

Motive and act decreed— not merely known, 

As much as that the Lamb should bleed and groan. 

In which, of course, thy Lord did much delight, 

For his decrees are pleasing in his sight. 

Then Judas look for life, and great renown, 

Thy love of money will procure a crown. 

But if, as in a truth a solemn fact, 
God in foreknowledge only saw thine act; 
And how thou would'st abuse the power he gave, 
AndVsell the Saviour offered thee to save: 
How, from the Apostleship thou wouldst sink dov 
And so Matthias come and take thy crown;* 
(As saw the prophet who in vision spake 
His bishoprick then let another take)f 
How from a minister who Jesus sent 
To preach his word, and call men to repent i 
Thou wouldst so soon, in deeds a devil be, 
lo the things that Satan should decree. 
o be to thee, Judas, most forlorn! 
Good were it Tor thee thou hadst not been born. 

If God decree from his eternal throne, 
All sinful deeds as fully as his own ; 
Then good and bad to him alike belong, 
For which he should be praised in every 'sons;. « 

Yes, candid friend, if every. deed and though 
Be in decree, by whomsoever wrought, 
As much as are the course of stars and sun, 
Whidh at Jehovah's touch rejoicing run; 
When all the actions of the wicked ones, 
Satan himself or any of his sons, 
As much, are of and from the Lord of course, 
And sweetly lead us to, that holy source; 
As the fixed movements of the stars on high, 
Or clouds and winds which daily round us fly. 
And man, himself, no more an agent free, 
Than liquid waves which move by firm decree. 
Or thou the rolling orbs which must obey, 
The orders they received creation day. 

Hence those who drink the deepest in this gall 
Seem to be thankful for a wicked fall. 
'"Tis good," they say, "that we have sunk in mire; 
" It shows our weakness, and will raise us higher." 

On Zion's height they're heard to crv aloud, 
" No man- can turn from sinful ways to God, 

*Ps. cix. 8. fActs, i. 20, 25. tMatth. x. 1- 



/' 



17 

w No more than various worlds he can create: 

« Or more than those worlds can vary from their state; 

« But strict necessity of moral kind, 

« Directs the course of every human mind. 

Yea, some so far sink in this miry plain, 

Where dark and deathly vapour rise and reign, 

As to deny that the Almighty can 

A power of self resolving form in man. 

«« God never can create a human soul 

"Able his disposition to control: 

" Man has no power, they say, to regulate 

" This will to love an object or to hate; 

** Nor any creature — none of any grade, 

« Of all the beings who were ever made, 

« Can half a self resolving power or spring; 

<< The right exclusive this of Heaven's King." 

Hence wicked deeds, since men or angels fell, 

Of such as live on earth or sigh in hell, 

Were all resolved by the eternal Three; 

As in no creature such a power can be. 

Yea, as no man or angel ever did 

Have power of self-resolving in this creed; 

All works of men or angels ever done, 

Were first resolved by the holy One. 

Whether of angels in their first estate, 

Or of the fallen ones, and reprobate: 

Of righteous Abel bending low to pray, 

Or wicked Cain who did his brother slay ; 

Of all the saints engaged in holy joy, 

Of all the rest in Satan's vile employ! 

Reader! are these the truths of your delight? 

Then bring the precious system forth to sight! 

Behold your God in equal praises shine, 

For hellish deeds as well as those divine! 

If this be Him, my friend, you bow befere, 

I think 'tis not the God that I adore. 

But were this worthy praise and real due 
To God instead of Satan and his crew; 
A solemn query would originate 
How the Most Holy could so operate 
On beings pure resolve to bring? 
Could he by holding up a tempting thing, 
Or by begetting of his holy kind, 
A wicked resolution in the mind? 
All such dark views the sacred books deny ; 
•fGod will not tempt* nor father any lie."t 

* James i. 13. t Titus i. 2. 



18 

Or did he form a devil for this end, 
To tempt a sinless being to offend? 

is, then, the devil, sinful and forlorn, 

Of spotless holiness and beauty born? 

The father of all lies, deceit and fraud, 

The son, and darling, of a spotless God; 

The God of truth, legitimate grand-sire, 

Of all the iiars, doom'd to endless fire? 

And is it more consistent that you state, 

The Lord a real devil did create; 

Than to suppose he formed in every thing 

Accountable, a self-resolving spring? 

And so to give account to God on high, 

For all the power he has to live or die? 

What though it be beyond our skill to see 

How this mysterious power in man can be? 

Are there not many things in air and main, 

Which no mere mortal ever could explain? 

Yet all of us allow them ;— so we must 

Allow this power in man,— though of the dart. 
Man has this self-resolving power oc not; 

But if he can't resolve, or rule his thought, 

ihen must some other for him think and r«ie, 
And he but as a mere machine or tool; 
No more to answer for what he has done, 

Than for the actions of some other one. 
deader, it must be vain for you to try 

Against this argument to shut your eye. 
Nothing is plainer that was ever seen 
Than that this doctrine does the sinner sereea; 
If man no power of action has, then he 
la not accountable a child may see. 

Here the fain »d Edw ^ rd8> scheme unmasked *t*ear* 
Which has defied the truth so many years: 
Whose labor was to prove in logic strong. 
By arguments reiterate and long, 
That men no self-resolving power possess, 
But yet are culpable, nevertheless. 
This plan so weak, because in error found, 
That a mere strippling may its rage confound, 
Has, notwithstanding, darken 'd all the world ; 
jUke to the smoke that from the pit was hurPd. 
O Edwards! most unhappy was thy plan, 
To wound and kill the agency of man; 
To make the Lord the agent great of sin, 
And clear the devil who did it begin. 
Well may thy works, voluminous and blind. 
J* called too tedious for the common miwh , » 



19 

For where truth appears serene and bright, 
»Tis labor hard to turn it into night. 

The humble way of life is open laid, 
That man was just below the angels mad^; 
And formed with proper powers of agents free, 
To choose the way to life or misery : 
While God in mercy lengthens out his days, 
And kind instruction gives to change his ways; 
With grace to justify and cleanse his soul, 
\nd power by tender care his mind to rule, 
So man, his maker God will glorify 
By his existence, tho' he live or die. 
And if he choose to walk in wisdom's ways, - 
He'll be most happy in his Maker's praise; 
But if he choose the voice of truth to slight, 
He'll perish — yet the throne of God be white, 



CHAPTER III, 

I if these few hints the reader clearly may 
Behold the sovereign potter and the clay: 
And how one vessel is for honor made, 
Another formed for a dishonored grade, 
That is, that some have more than others give*, 
Have greater gifts and light bestow'd from he*VK 
But the Least favored may by grace divine, 
Improve and live — may suns and stars outshine, 
While the most honour'd if they do rebel, 
Will but sink deeper in the flames of hell. 
Sovereign Election'here runs thro' the whole, 
Yet life and death set forth before each soul. 
How diffrent this from that most horrid dream, 
Which once I took to be the gospel scheme. 
That the almighty God from passive earth 
Moulded one vessel for a heavenly birth, 
Then made another for the worlds below, 
And will'd and crder'd "that it should be so. 
Relief from these distressing views I sought, 
And found it wrjere I own I never ought, 
in Universal notions— flatt'ring sounds; 
But which, alas/ could never heal my wounds. 
O the poor souls still holden in these chains, 
With hearts defil'd and J agitated brains! 
To whom the devil Whispers in their ear, 
« ' If you are Elect you never need to fear, 
" God can never your soul to ruin send, 
f* For whom he loves he loves unto the end. 
*« G©d if TM ¥0ur aQVI ] t an( j ijjg eiC eediag itra*jt ? 



20 

•• That you should fear eternal love will chanjj 

" All sin you cannot conqner if you try, 

"But if you sin ye. shall not surely die, 

" The covenant of grace can never break, 

«* Though you the holy ways of truth forsake. 

" On grace's door, you know, this motto's grav'd, 

fS Let sin be damn'd, the guilty sinner sav'd: 

"Even tho' you should be stain'd with human blood, 

" Yet God doth know 'twill terminate for good. 

" Did not king David act this sinful part, 

" Yet all the while one after God's own heart?'* 

Thus these delusions many souls deceive, 
As the old serpent first betrayed Eve. 
The only way to shun these tempting lies, 
Is first to shun the doctrines whence they rise; 
The only way delusions strong to shun, 
To take the cross and after Jesus run. 
Soon as the daily cross seems too severe, 
The Calvinistic system will appear;* 
This butreceiv'd and call'd a plan of grace, 
Then Universalism comes apace: 
Deism then, the sickly soul will bind, 
With Atheism following close behind. 
Next Scepticisn all her front will rear, 
And then the 'dreadful horrors of despair, 
Now hell itself appears in all its dread, 
With all the torments of the guilty dead. 
So deep the gulph, so ne'er the slipp'ry brink; 
The soul, swimming with fear's about to sink, 
A spell of magic ruin downward clings, 
And mmd'ring ropes and razors handy brings. 

*The Author uses this expressiqn Calvinistic System; not 
meaning thereby the doctrines of grace as believed by the can- 
did of that order; such as the new birth, efficacious grace in con- 
versation, justification by the blood and righteousness of Christ 
alone, imputed to the soul; together with the depravity of man; 
his helplessness of himself, and the impossibility of his ever 
meriting God's favour by his doings: these are all allowed to be 
true, and they cannot be too highly esteemed. But what are 
meant are those evil notions which run through the whole sys- 
tem, as a system, like a vein of poison to all the others; such as 
absolute election, and reprobation according to decree limited 
atonement, stating that Jesus Christ did not taste death for every 
man; that every one that is born again is beyond all danger of 
being lost; and that the new birth is before repentance. These 
doctrines are holden by many of them, and by such as have 
been considered the most sound in the faith and cannot be too 
much guarded against. 



21 



awful route! yet this T know as well, « . 
As Adam did hid shame ihe day he fell; 

1 ran these barren, gloomy systems through, 
Till everlasting torments hove in view. 

1 saw the burning lake, the smoke arise, 

Thedimn>d souls — I heard their groans and erie , 

Aud the loud thunders of eternal night: 

The vengeful lightnings flashing in my sight. 

Nay more — I felt the burning sulphur flow: 

So near I pa-;s'dthe mouth of endless wo. 

iJeresatvrs dance, ominious ravens croak, 

The frightful screech-owl yelling thro' the smoke; 

The gnawing worm, — its piercing deathless sting, 

(.) the keen anguish such dire spectres bring,* 

What David felt when Satan him beguil'd, r 

With murder and adultery defil'd 

The! same I felt,— a hell of inward smart; 

The d3ep impression still upon my heart. 

'Tis true we wander'd in a di'T'rent line; 

His wicked deeds, — but damning errors mine, 

Yet I as really defil'd as he; 

': none but God my filihy stato could see. 

The heart were strong delusions brood and reign, 

Will be defil'd with ev'ry sinful stain; 

The pure in heart, from ev'ry sin reliev'd, 

These God's Elect, can never be deceiv'd 

I speak the things I know — for all within, 

By slow degrees, I found defil'd with sin. 

And ev'ry sense began the filth to share; 

My feeling, smelling, tasteing, eye and ear 

I .saw except I found some purer way, 

These must act out, — and I be cast away. 

Not all at once did these dark shades comes on, 

Nor all at ence did I in errors run, 

Nor even wilfully, delusions took; 

Hence the good Spirit never me forsook; 

But holy joy would sometimes drown my fears, 

Through all this down-hill way for sev'ra! years: 

And God did own wherein I preach'd his word, 

And hundreds by my labors turn'd to God:f 

But O how soon they wander'd far away, 

Altho' church members mostly, till this day. 

The children given me and whom I taught, ' 

Were, as I was, soon into bondage brought: 

* These metaphorical expressions of a despairing state, a step 
beyond which admits of no recoveiy> it is confessed, are lavish; 
bat it is hoped that the reader will never know by experience 
tha* the half is not told. 

t I baptised in the time between four and fire hundred. 



22 

We all were bond-men, carnal slaves at best, 

A« in the seventh of Romans is expres'd, 

Indeed this chapter fourteenth verse and through, 

Was all the gospel liberty wa knew. 

Y yet, with others, nothing knew about, 

How Paul mere law-work here was pointing out, 

Freedom from sin, and steady peace with God, 

We never look'd for on this earthly ctod. 

C) the unhappy many here confin'd; 

And here contented: stubborn in their mind! 

Bat I was not contented in this plight, 
Eor once I had a touch of clearer light, t 
By times I closely sought some holy ground ; 
Some bloody sea, in which my sins to diown; 
Some cleansing stream to wash the last remains 
Of all my foul disease and inward stains; 
Some heavenly gale, some Paradistic air, 
To quell the fumes of brimstone and despair. 
The great Deliv'rer how I long'd to see; 
To make the?e domineering masters flee: 
To turn the traitor from his flinty throne, 
And reign himself within my heart alone. 
But O this monster hence could not be driv'n! 
His seat being delegated him from heaven. 
Faith had no pow'r to work against the Word; 
Sin must remain; — so ordered by the Lord. 
<) how th' old serpent boasts in scaly pride, 
Where'er he gains God's purpose on his side/ 

The Lord beheld me in this dreary ni*ht, 
And knew how much I strove to know the light, 
And sent a sovereign helper from on high. 
The Holy Ghost — who made the darkness fly. 
lie, like the sun, shone through m) very soul, 
And shew'd the fountain that would make me whele 
Made all the gospel clear as chrystal glass, 
Holy in every line and firm as brass: 
My faith began to stand on solid rock, 
And Satan felt within a fearful shock. 
Faith, mighty faith, nowturn'd her eye within, 
And plead the blood that cleans'd from e\ Vy sin: 
She heard the gospel sounding loud and shrill, 
Be clean from sin! for this is heav'.^'s wilj,, 
Sin shall kot reign/ Hence Satan quick retire, 
And leave this heart for Christ, — the soul's desire, 
O the most free and charming gospel sound, 

t While with the Methodists at first t had but little knowledge 
of the theory of holiness, and less of the experience: an I was 
there but a short time. \ 



A flood of cleansing tru >wed around 

In which I humbly bath y soul, 

And felt the floods of pu e roll. 

1 rose, — I looked aroun< were gone, 

And I was left to share tbe spoil alone, 

With ray dear Lord; whom now I clearly saw, 

By whom so late delivered from the law. 

Who came to dwell with me, and make my way 

Brighter and brighter till the perfect day. 

And since I've been delivered from the snare, 
Which few have ever been who've ever wandered there, 
Have 'scaped the rocks that fatal prove to most, 
I raise this beacon on this stormy coast. 
Look out! Look out/ ye mariners that sail, 
Wafted along by every flattering gale; 
Dead work* [a bed of sand] lie just before, 
And strong the current sets you on this shore. 
Dead faith {a range of rocks] lies near your way, 
And heavy winds incline your ship astray. 
On top of tide these both are out of sight, 
'Ti^ dangerous sailing hither in the night, 
Take day-time for it, when the water's low, 
And safely through these narrow straits you'll go. 



CHAPTER IV. 

If now my friend resolve to strive to rise, 
And gain the mark where thousands miss the-pri 
Take this direction, nor from it depart; 
That hope is good which purifies the heart; 
And only that — no other hope will do, 
When (aod shall bring the works of men to vie*. 

This hope will save from trusting in your deedj 
And teach you how the blessed gospel reads; 
That not your seeking, but the grace you seek, 
Must be your trust in all you act or speak: 
To trust in seeking rather than the gain, 
Is saving chaff to fling away the grain. 
Who trusts in chaff instead of precious wheat, 
Has found, as yet, nothing but chaff to eat: 
Has never bore the blade and then the ear, 
To see at length the perfect fruit appear. 
Your prayers and strivings do yon real good 
No farther than they lead to Jesus' blood. 
If light you seek your sorrows will increase, 
Till precious grace applies a sweet release. 
Aid when tbe grace appears so great and oew» 



24' 
• *. • 

• Yonrivor.ks.wilI sink in such a glorious view, 
\ £«d*seeking still you'll winder ail the wjfile, 

" At sovereign, grace that saves a wretch* so vile. 
t i^nd tedfch yourinore and more the wondrdus scheme, 
. «0¥ seeding grace so'high in. your esteem. 

fent nwt to,Tiope forblessing from the skies, * ' • 

*Withput a faithful striving for the prize. 

Beware of trusting in an oitfward name, 
While God and angels see your inward shame. 
A wolfish heart though clad in sheep's attire, 
Will never save you from the burning fire* 
See the King's daughter glorious to behold, 
All pure within and deck'd in purest gold, 
This the fair ShuJletnite* whom Widom saw. 
Like two join.? armies, Gospel and the Law. 
Like those two bands which Jacob had become 
When he return'd united to his home. 

O shun whate'er ofimvard beauty fails, 
Nor make the Christian jike a pair ofsci 
One scale the new man- having half the heart, 
The old the other holding the other part; 
Or else by turns each one possess the whole: 
So make a common harlot of the soul. 
This hour the sou! and Jesus, but anon, 
The soul arid Satan, Jesus left alone, 
One scale this hour rising up to prayer, 
The next the other up to curse and swear. . 
A heavt divided after such a rate, 
Must be considered as the devil's seat; 
W T ith strong convictions oft, but nothing more, 
The Saviour outward knocking at the dopr. 

The tender-hearted Saviour long will bear, 
But not his glory wi'h another share: 
This wav'ring mind in vain may beg and cry 
Serving two masters with a double eye: 
While the pure virgin heart, an inward power 
Given to Jesus only ev'ry hour 
lias Father, Son, and Holy Ghost within 
A constant guard against the monster sin, 
The devii, doubtless, will his terrors bring, 
And roar around this palace of the King; 
Cut peace will reign within, while due regard 
Js paid to ev'ry word of Christ the Lord. 
* The definition of Shullamite is, perfection. 

THE EJYD. 



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